Happy Birthday Katie!

Happy Birthday Katie! Four years ago today Katie came into out lives. Mark is still trying to decide how he feels about that.....

Due to scheduling conflicts, primarily a dance recital on the evening of Katie's birthday we decided to celebrate a day early. Katie did not object. The party was planned for Sunday afternoon, after church.

I knew we would be running tight after church so on Saturday night after we go home from the dance competition Katie helped me decorate for her party. Barbie was the theme. She helped me with the table cloth, making sure it was smooth, then she set out a pink plate for everyone.

She carefully placed a napkin on each plate.

Sunday morning before church I snapped this cute picture with her presents that were of course wrapped in Barbie wrapping paper.

She was telling me a story as I snapped this picture with her cupcakes.

Here is a close up of the cupcakes. Her request, strawberry cupcakes. I think it was the color of the cake, pink, rather than the flavor that drove that choice. She wanted vanilla ice cream, but after giving in on the strawberry cupcakes, I could not stomach the vanilla ice cream and I bought Whopper ice cream....she refused to eat any ice cream..... and to make up for it she ate TWO cupcakes.

For her birthday dinner she wanted mac & cheese. Now she would have been perfectly happy with Kraft mac & cheese, however we were having guests over whose pallet would have been insulted by Kraft, so I opted for a fancier version. I made it from scratch, and used Swiss, Asiago, and Gouda cheese. It was tasty, although a little lumpy, my cheese sauce making skills need some work. (As in I have never made a cheese sauce before. Rick promised a lesson in the future.)

Yes, it was on to the presents.

Barbie, all the way.

Alas time to blow out the candles and be wished a happy birthday.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent making sure the new toys all worked. Verdict: They all work.